“What else can I spray with my HVLP turbine sprayer?”
We often receive questions about finishing and spraying. We reply to all, often by referring a question to one of our expert writers.
One interesting question that keeps coming across my desk is about HVLP turbine spray systems and what they are best suited for. Since many of our readers are woodworkers, one of the questions I am frequently asked is “What else can I spray with my HVLP turbine sprayer?”
For many years Apollo has had a strong presence and connection to woodworking from the serious craftsman to diverse professional woodworking applications. What many of our readers may not be aware of is that Apollo HVLP turbines are used to spray hundreds of different types of fluids and coatings.
You will find Apollo turbines in marine, aviation, and automotive markets. Apollo HVLP turbines are used to spray farm vehicles and machinery and many similar types of equipment. You will find Apollo HVLP used in ceramic restoration, leather restoration and more. The applications are endless. I have sprayed protective coatings on photographs. We even have had inquiries about spraying chocolate for cake decorating for which incredibly, the Apollo turbine performed beautifully! I remember a demonstration I did where I sprayed dye colorant on shirt buttons for a large factory that needed to do small production runs of special colors. I could go on and on. Even within each major industry there are multiple applications for the versatile Apollo HVLP turbine systems.
Now, let me share some real life experience and data with you. It will show you the power and capability of Apollo HVLP. Apollo has entered into a close relationship with the Sherwin-Williams Automotive Paints Division. Recently, Sherwin-Williams tested an Apollo 1050VR turbine system against a Sata RP spray gun. The end result was a perfect finish on a car fender from both products with a 38% savings on coating consumption using the Apollo 1050VR. This is in addition to all of the other benefits of the turbine system including the continuous flow of uncontaminated dry, moisture free air. So here is our music video of the test. Grab your partner and dance along with our video as you watch a pro at work. In future issues not only will you read excellent articles about woodworking, we are inviting finishing experts from other industries to share their knowledge with all of you as well.
In closing I want all of our readers to be sure to read my next letter to you as I will have some exciting news from Apollo.
Sr. Vice President
Apollo Sprayers International, Inc.
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Finishing Feature Article by Charles Neil: Asphaltum, A Forgotten Finishing Gem
Many years ago, back when the dinosaurs roamed the earth, I had the privilege of working with two older gentleman in Charleston, South Carolina. Their forte was antique restoration as well as creating reproductions of the same. They went by the names of Jim and Bob, one was from Germany as I think, and the other from Sweden or Italy, I can’t recall. The language barrier for whatever reason was not an issue, even though neither spoke very good English. It was simply that woodworking seemed to create a universal understanding between us. As close as I could determine they were in their early 70s when I met them. They had a very low-key, hidden little shop and the only thing electric was the incandescent light bulbs in the ceiling. Everything was old-school, lots of hand saws, old wooden bodied hand planes, molding planes. For me this was a dream come true, I was young and anxious to learn, I had my regular day job if you will, but I spent as much time as possible with them. I never got paid and in reality I thought I should be paying them. It is a time in my life I reflect on daily. READ MORE
Finishing Tip by Bob Flexner: Finishing Oily Woods
Many tropical woods, with the notable exception of mahogany, contain an oily resin that causes oil and varnish finishes to not dry well. The oily resin gets into the finish and keeps the finish molecules from hitting each other and crosslinking. The resin acts like paint thinner that doesn’t evaporate.
Counter-intuitively, the oily resin usually doesn’t affect the drying of lacquers and water-based finishes. But in cases where the oiliness is severe, it could weaken the bond to the wood.
The trick to finishing oily woods successfully is to remove the oil from the surface just before applying the finish. Don’t wait a long time before finishing or the oil that is deeper in the wood will rise back to the surface. It’s best to remove the oil with naphtha because it evaporates rapidly. You can also use acetone, but if there are several woods involved, as in the accompanying picture, acetone is much more likely to lift some of the color from the darker wood and transfer it to the lighter wood.
Finishing Tip by Bob Flexner: How to Lighten an Oil Stain
Say you stain an object with a store-bought oil (“wiping”) stain and the color is too dark. Assuming you haven’t yet applied a finish, how do you lighten it?
Most importantly, don’t sand. Whatever you do, you have to do the same everywhere to keep the color even, and you won’t be able to control the depth you sand to evenly.
It’s much better to try wiping with naphtha. It’s a little stronger than mineral spirits. See if it pulls out some of the color. What you’re trying to do is break down enough of the binder that holds the pigment particles together and to the wood to lift some of the color.
If this doesn’t work, try acetone or lacquer thinner. If this doesn’t work, try paint stripper—any kind. This will be messier, which is why I’m suggesting it last. You ought to be able to remove enough of the color with one of these solvents.
But if you’re still unsuccessful, you could try rubbing with steel wool. It will be easier to rub evenly with steel wood than with sandpaper. You could also try using the steel wool together with one of the solvents to see if that helps. The most important thing is to try to keep the remaining color even.
Finishing Tip by Bob Flexner: Water-Based Finish on White Woods
There are a number of considerations when choosing the type of finish you want to use. These include durability, ease of clean-up, odor, etc. But one consideration doesn’t seem to be fully appreciated, and that is the color the finish imparts to the wood.
Most finishes give wood a yellow/orange tint. Until water-based finishes became available a couple of decades ago, color was never much of an issue because all finishes added this tint. But now you have a choice because water-based finishes (all finishes that thin and clean-up with water) don’t add any color at all. They just make the wood a little darker.
The accompanying picture shows water-based finish on a pine floor. The pine will darken some as it ages, but for a number of years the water-based finish will give the floor a unique and attractive look. This same look can be achieved with all white woods such as maple and birch. And these woods won’t darken.